# How's the air you breathe today? Can you smell the smoke from the wildfires in Quebec? (June 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 7, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158 "2023-06-07T17:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/121 "2023-06-10T21:25:18Z")
It was never really that bad here thanks to the prevailing winds mostly deflecting the smoke away from us. In any case, the last of the smoke warnings have been lifted and we’re due for intermittent rain over the next few days, so all should be good for the next while at least. Actually we could use some rain even if it wasn’t for the fires – it’s been quite a while since we had any rain to speak of. ---
**Author:** ![BobR\_421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@BobR\_421](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobR_421)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/122 "2023-06-13T01:16:41Z")
If the haze in VA and points north was from wildfires in Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia, The why were the skies clear in Toronto at the televised Canadian Open Golf Championship ? None of the fans or officials were wearing masks. . Just asking the question ? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/123 "2023-06-13T01:20:24Z")
If you look at the smoke tracking, it is a huge swirling mass. Somewhere earlier I linked to the NY Times map. This one from NOAA might help: [Office of Satellite and Product Operations - Hazard Mapping System](https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/land/hms.html#gallery-1) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/124 "2023-06-13T01:37:40Z")
> [@BobR\_421](#): > > The why were the skies clear in Toronto at the televised Canadian Open Golf Championship ? The city of Toronto proper wasn’t in great shape for a couple of days last week, although not nearly as bad as places like NYC, and it had pretty much cleared by the date of the Canadian Open. The reason was that – the last time I looked at a smoke map early last week – much of the time the prevailing circulation systems were moving the smoke very roughly in an “L” shape, with the Toronto area in the crook of the “L”, and the foot of the “L” unfortunately pointing toward the NE US coast. It has since changed but I believe the fires have been brought substantially under control. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/125 "2023-06-13T02:29:37Z")
According to the rest of Ontario, Toronto is often in “the crook of the L”. But maybe some hot air from Ottawa way helped clear things up before the golf tournament? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/126 "2023-06-28T12:36:14Z")
Are these fires still going? Because we’ve got heavy smoke right now in Cleveland. Like, I can see it just looking at things a hundred feet away or so. And the Sun is still visibly reddish, nearly three hours after sunrise. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/127 "2023-06-28T12:56:33Z")
The Cleveland area is in one of the worst areas currently: [https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?contours=ozonepm&monitors=none&xmin=-12174966.30229008&xmax=-7478675.284450101&ymin=4017280.741860352&ymax=6255356.930049717](https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?contours=ozonepm&monitors=none&xmin=-12174966.30229008&xmax=-7478675.284450101&ymin=4017280.741860352&ymax=6255356.930049717) See the purple on the map. There are still forest fire in Quebec, Ontario and even Michigan. Still over 200 in Canada. Reports are this is the worst fire season on record. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/128 "2023-06-28T12:59:59Z")
Yep, just came here to post about CLE - What\_Exit beat me to it. I wore a mask while riding my bike to work this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/129 "2023-06-28T13:34:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The Cleveland area is in one of the worst areas currently: AQI = 244 here in Ann Arbor, not far behind Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/130 "2023-06-28T13:43:20Z")
Sandusky checking in here. The weird thing is that we’ve had strong downpours off and on since I arrived here a week ago (cool w/ relatively high humidity), so it would be strange to have it hit N Ohio but somehow avoid S Canada and not quench a lot of the fires there. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/131 "2023-06-28T14:07:36Z")
I walked outside yesterday morning and thought “Hey, someone’s burning leaves.” Oh, yeah, Canada is. Called my mom yesterday, she’s in an Over 200 city. She’d been inside all day. Right now I’m sitting on my porch with a KN95 mask on. Very hazy. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/132 "2023-06-28T14:17:06Z")
I’m wondering if any anti maskers are freaking out about suggestions to mask up because of. air quality. Go ahead breathe the air! What a fucking decade this is turning out to be. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/133 "2023-06-28T15:15:47Z")
I thought the problem had died down, then stepped outside my apartment (Toronto) and got a snootful of the ashen smell. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/134 "2023-06-28T15:18:10Z")
On Monday I heard a brief bang or explosion in the neighborhood and our power blipped out for a few seconds. I went out to check if I could see anything amiss; a transformer on fire, or worse (once about 10 years ago, a car went out of control on our street and took out a power pole). I didn’t see anything, but I could smell a plasticky, burning smell, so I assumed a transformer somewhere nearby was burning. But then I saw on the news yesterday our local (Metro Detroit area) air quality continues to be very bad, and the weather person described a ‘plasticky, burning smell’, so that must be what I could smell Monday, not a transformer. The smell is very pronounced today. It’s pretty nasty-- I’m about ready to go out and buy gas masks for the family. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/135 "2023-06-28T15:26:36Z")
We’re under an air quality alert; but AirNow says we’re “moderate” at 82 at the moment. It’s a bit hazy but hard to tell what part of that is clouds and what part is smoke; it smells a bit smoky but not bad. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/136 "2023-06-28T15:28:26Z")
Really bad in MSP yesterday and today. Supposed to rain later today, so perhaps that will help. I’m going to go get the other air purifier out of the storage locker. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/137 "2023-06-28T15:36:20Z")
Mentor Ohio here. It smells, its foggy, don’t go out. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/138 "2023-06-28T16:11:51Z")
St. Louis is right on the edge of the smoke cloud. In the heart of the metro area AQI’s are in the 170s. 10 miles to the south or west and they drop to the 160s. Another 20 miles or so and they improve to 20-30. At least the haze doesn’t smell. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/139 "2023-06-28T18:10:57Z")
It’s 229 in Detroit metro. You can smell it and there’s a haze over the roads. It looks like fog. So far it hasn’t triggered my asthma. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/140 "2023-06-28T18:55:11Z")
Tuesday early AM I woke up thinking I was having a heart attack, which did set off a panic attack. I’ve never been sensitive to bad air before but apparently a combination of aging and particularly bad AQ did it. I still am feeling sick and trembly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158.md?page=8)